Container vacuumizing and closing machine



Dec. 18, L1945. A. l.. KR-oNQuEs-r 42,391,319

CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MQCHINE Dec. 18, 1945. A. KRONQUEST 2,391,319

y CONTAINER VACUUMZING A'ND CLOSING lMACHINE l5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 14, 1941 l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec.v 18,1945.

A. L. KRONQUEST CONTAINER yVAGUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1941 Dec. 18, 1945,

' .A. L. KRoNQUEsT' CONTAINER VACUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1941 l5 Sheets-Sheet 4' irre/maeva Dec. 18, 19.4.5.

A. L. KRONQUEST CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1941 l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 1s, 1945'.

A. L. KRONQUEST CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 14, 1941 JJ n Il@ /j/JJ Ma JJ? 200 Il@ 1M WW www /grraFA/svs Dec. 18, 1945. A. l.. KRoNQUl-:ST

v `CONTAIINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, -194l 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 l@ N g Dec. 18, 1945. A. l.. KRoNQUEs-r` i 2J@ gi j Jag/* F y 'I i 1M Jf `20 v m M i Ik i j] 1,53 I j W I WW Dec. 18, 1945. A. l. KRoNQuEs-r 2,3915319" i CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND lCLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug.A 14, 1941 15 sheets-'sheet Vsa MQW@ Dec.18, 1945. A. l. KRoNQuE's-r 2,391,319

l. CONTAINER VACUUMZING AND CLOSING MACHINE I' C Filed Aug. 14, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 118, ,1945. l .-'AQ L KRoNQuEs 2,391,319 CONTAINER VACUUMIZING'AND CLOSINGl lvmcnml 'y Filed Aug. `14, 1941 I l5 Sheets-Sheet'll Dec, 18, 1.945.

Filed Aug. 14,*1941 i,

A. L. KRONQUEST CONTAINER vAcu'UMIzING AND CLOSING MACHINE 1S sheets-sheet 12 irre/Paray@ Dec. 18, 1945. A. L. KRoNQUEsT CONTAINER VACUUMIZINGJXND CLOSING MA'CHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1941 1'5 sheets-sheet 1s J2ME/vrai /71-7-0 #News Dec. 18,1945. A. L. KRoNQUEsT CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Filved Aug. 14, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 www W XW MW YQP;

Dec. 18, 1945 A. l.. KRoNQuEsT l CONTAINER VACUUMIZING ND CLOSING MACHINE Filed Aug. 14, 1941 15-sheetssheet 15 Patented Dec. 18, 1945 CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING f MLACHINE Alfred L. Kronquest, Syracuse, N. Y., assigner to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y.,-a corporation of New York Application August 14, 1941, Serial No. 406,899

9 Claims.l

The invention relates to new and useful improVeinents in a machine for vacuumizing and closing containers lled with beverage or food stuffs.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and eilficiently operable machine structure em-. bodying a single closing station, means for feeding filled containers to the station and vacuumized and closed containers from said station, a closing mechanism at said station, means for forming a restricted vacuum chamber about the closing mechanism, and novel means for sealing the chamber while the containers are being vacuumized therein. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the chamber sealing means includes yieldable gripper sectors engageable in sealing contact with the eX- terior surfaces of containers being presented for vacuumizing and closing, and novel means for actuating said sectors.

AnotherV object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated in which the gripper sector actuating means includes an oscillatable actuatorring and movement transmitting lever connections effective to move the sectors toward and from the container gripping position on the line' l il--I U `on Figure 4.'

always in generally concentric relation to the Y container exterior circle.

lAnother object of the invention is to provide amachine of the character stated in which there is included arcontainer rounding ring through which the rcontainers are forced 'upwardly into proper position in the vacuumizing and closing chamber, said `ring being disposed immediately beneath the container gripping and chamber sealing sectors.

With the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more fully understood by following the detailed description, the appended claims, and n the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Inthe drawings:

Figure 1 is aV central vertical cross sectional view illustrating a machine embodying the Vinvention; the container` lifting and lowering-pad beingillustrated in its normal, lowered position.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross section illustrating the container lifting and lowering pad elevated to present a container ln position for being vacuumized, the container gripping-and vacuumizing chamber sealing segments being shown in gripping engagement with the upper portion of a container.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken through the machine at a plane just beneath the bottom of the vacuumizing and sealing head.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary face view illustrating the container feed-in and feed-out table portions of the machine. y

Figure 5 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the' line 5-5 on Figure 4.

Figure 6` is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line B-B on Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a Vdetail vertical cross section taken on the line 1-1 on Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 8-8 on Figure 4.

`Figure 9 is a detail vertical cross section taken on the line 9-9 on Figure 4.

Figure l0 is a detail vertical cross section taken' Figure 1l is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on thek line on Figurel.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line |2-I2 on Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a part plan and part horizontal sectional viewl oflthe'machine, the section portion being taken substantially on the line |3-l3 on and part horizontal section illustrating the means` for controlling the position of the clutchthrow out couple member.-` Y

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line |5--I5 on Figure 14.

Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary face view illustrating the mounting of the vacuum controlling valve, the bearingiequipment for the lower end of the bifurcated couplerY carrying rock shaft beingl shown in section.

`VFigure 17 is anenlarged fragmentary, somewhat diagrammatic horizontal section illustrating the mounting of the valve action controlling coupler, the coupler being illustrated in its normal uncoupled vposition just .prior to coupling thereof lby engagement of the setting devices by acontainer about to be placed at the closing' and sealing head body and the cham-bered ringv mounted therein, the container gripping segments being illustrated' intheir container `gripping or inwardlymoved positions.

Figure 20 is a somewhat diagrammatic hori-V zontalcross sectional view showing thel means e hereinafter.

for oscillating the gripper segment actuator ring.

Figure 21 is a fragmentary vertical cross section taken on the line 2I--2I on Figure 20.

Figure 22 is a fragmentary vertical cross section illustrating the cam actuated rocker shaft associated with the gripper segment actuator ring oscillating devices.

Figure 23 is a development of the container lifting and lowering pad actuating cam.

In the example of embodiment of the invention herein disclosed there is included a main frame having a base 5, a main body portion 6 flange-secured on the base, as at 1, and a superstructure 8 extending upwardly from said main body portion and fiange-secured thereon as at 9. A drive top housing I is flange-secured on the superstructure 8, as at II, and its upper extremity is closed by a removable cover plate I2. See Figure 1.

A main rotary shaft I3 is disposed uprightly in the frame in a bearing I4 provided therefor in the base 5, in a bearing I5 provided in the main body portion 6, and in a bearing I6 in a drive sleeve I1 which is in turn mounted in antifriction bearings I8 in a bearing well I9 carried by the top housing i0. The shaft vI3 normally rotates with the sleeve I 6, I1 but is capable of remaining stationary independently .of this sleeve under overload conditions to be described here inafter. See Figure 1.

At its lower end, the shaft I3 has a container feed driving bevel gear afxed thereto, and the gear and shaft are supported on an antifriction end bearing 2l provided in the base .5. See Figures 1 and 12. .Just above the bearing I4 a sleeve 22 is keyed to th'e shaft I3, and the upper end of this sleeve carries a driver gear 23, the purpose of which will later become apparent.` A pad lifter cam 24 surrounds the sleeve 22 and is secured to rotate therewith .as at 25. This cam is equipped with a peripheral, pad lifting and lowering groove 26 which will be referred to in detail hereinafter. See Figure 23.

Above the bearing I5 a sleeve 21 is keyed upon the shaft I3, and this sleeve carries and is sur rounded by a valve drive couple displacing cam 28, the purpose of which will later become apparent. See Figures 1, 2, 3 and 1'1.- Above the sleeve 21 a sleeve 29 is splined to the shaft, said sleeve 29 being surrounded by a vacuum chamber defining sleeve 30 fitted in a center bore in the container vacuumizing and seaming head casing 3I. The sleeve 29 depends from a cam cylinder 32 which is supported in anti-friction end thrust bearings 33 in the casing 3I. See Figure 2. The cam cylinder is provided with a peripheral valve actuating groove 34 and a similar knockout pad actuating groove 35, the purposes of which will be more clearly described A sleeve and cover plate cam 36 surmounts the open top rof the cam 32, and the upper extremity of the sleeve portion abuts an anti-friction bearing 31 provided in the cover plate 38 mounted at the top of the casing 3|. See Figures 1 and 11.

An abutment plate 39 is affixed to the upper end of the shaft I3, and an overload release drive collar or ring 40 is splined on said shaft so as to rotate therewith and yet be capable of vertical sliding movement thereon. The collar 40 is equipped with three equidistantly spaced driving rollers 4I having their axes disposed radially with respect to the axis of the shaft I3 and being engageable in seats 42 in a driver disk 43 carried at the upper end of the sleeve I1 hereinbefore referred to. The collar 4I) is constantly urged downwardly, to be thereby yieldably held in driving contact with the disk 43, by compression spring equipment 44 interposed between said collar and the abutment plate 39. See Figure 1.

The disk 43 carries a clutch throw out effecting lug 45 and has a worm gear ring 46 secured thereon. Rotation is imparted to the worm gear ring 46 and through the disk 43 and the collar 49 to the main shaft I3 by a worm gear 41 keyed upon a drive shaft 48 which is rotatable in bearings 49 in a drive housing 50 suitably supported at the upper portion of the machine framing. See Figures 1, 11 and 13. A driving pulley 5I is freely rotatable about the shaft 48 and has rotation imparted thereto by V-belt equipment 52 from a pulley 53 secured upon the armature sh'aft of a motor 54 which is supported at the top on the machine framing. The pulley 5I has a cone clutch face which is engaged by a cone clutch member 55 splined on the drive shaft 48 as at 56. The clutch member 55 is normally held clutched against the pulley 5I by a spring equipment 51 interposed between the hub of the h'and wheel 58 fixed to the sleeve of said clutch member and an abutment head 59 which is secured upon the shaft 48.

A clutch shifting lever 60 is pivoted, as at 6I, in the housing and includes a yoke portion trunnion connected with the shifter ring 62, said lever being effective to shift the clutch member 55 against th'e compression of the spring equipment 51 to thereby release the driving connection and cause the clutch member to engage the brake surface 63 provided on the housing, thereby to discontinue rotation of said clutch member. The shaft 48 also carries a bevel driver gear 64, the purpose of which will later become apparent. See Figures 1l and 13.

In the center of the top housing cover I2 there is provided an upstanding boss 55 about which a clutch shifter ring 66 is oscillatably mounted. A pivot pin 61 is secured in the boss, and a second shifter ring 68 is oscillatable about this pin atop the ring 66, said ring G8 being adjustably secured, by arcuate slot and screw equipment 69, to the underlying ring 66. A lever fulcrum bracket 16 is oscillatable about the pin 61 and pivotally supports a manual clutch shifter lever 1I having a latch-lug 12 receivable in a notch 13 in the ring 68. A spring 14 attached to the bracket and to the lever normally holds the lever in an elevated position in which the latch lug 12 is disengaged froin the notch 13. See Figure l.

It is-to be understood that whenever the lever 1I is forced down so as to engage the latching lug 12 in the notch 13, and is then swung about the axis of the pin 61, it will serve to turn the rings 63 and 63 and manually effect a disengagement of the clutch member 55 and a resultantstoppage of the machine. For this purpose the ring 68 is provided with a crank extension 15 which is connected by a link 16 with a crank 11 secured upon the upper end of a rock shaft 13. The rock shaft 18 is rookably mounted in frame bearing equipment 19 and carries a crank at its lower end which is link-connected, as at BI, with the clutch shifter lever 60. The crank and link connections 3| act as a toggle look when shifted slightly past the dead center position, thereby to hold the clutch lever in the 'clutch release position following each machine operation stoppage until the lever is intentionally shifted to again initiate operation of the machine. It is togjbe understood, of course,- that .the vmotor`54.

operates continuously during.` all *temporaryl stopafter described in detail. For this purposethe` overload release drive collar 40 which is free to move upwardly on the shaft I3 to unseat the driving roller equipment '4| whenever the machine becomes jammed engages the lower end of a thrust pin 82 which is vertically-slidably mounted, as at 83, in the cover l2. The pin 82 carries an abutment head 84 at its upper end and this head underlies oneV end of a rock lever 85. pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 88, and having its other end equipped with a depending tappet |31. The tappet B1 is engageable with a plunger 88 vertically slidable in a rock shaft 89 having bearing, as at 90, in the housing and carrying a grooved carrier head 9| at its lower end. See Figures 1, 14 and 15. Within the downwardly directed groove in the head 9| there is mounted a shiftable coupling member 92 which is pivoted, as at 93, to the lower end of the plunger 88 and has an endl portion thereof extended inwardly in position for-overlying the path of travel of the clutch throw-out lug 45. A spring 94 surrounding the plunger 88 in a bore enlargement in the shaft 89 normally holds the plunger in its" elevated position with the coupling member 92 disposed well abovethe path of vtravel of the clutch throw-out lug 45. overload release collar is moved upwardly to break the drive connection :between the driven worm ring 46 and the main shaft I3, the pin and lever equipments 82, 85 will act to depress the plunger 88 and cause the inwardly extended end of the coupling member 92` to be depressed into the path kof travel of the clutch'throw-out lug 45. When the lug rotating with the disk 43 engages the depressed end of the member 92 it will impart a rocking motion to the shaft 89,v and this motion will be effective through suitable crank and link connections to shift the clutch lever and bring about a disengagement of the clutch member and a stoppage of all machine parts other than the idlyrunning motor and drive pulley 5|.

The coupling member 92V is extended outwardly beyond its pivotal connection with the plunger 88, and a compression spring 95 is interposed beneath this extended end and a supporting shelf carried by the head 9|. By reasonof thisequipment, should the plunger 88 be depressed at a time when theV clutch throw-out lug 45 is immediately .beneath the coupling member 92, said member 92 may engage on top of the lug and the spring 95 will take up the thrust of the plunger 88 so as to avoid breakage of parts and will thereafter cause the coupling member 92 to snap down into its intended position in the path of travel of the lug 45. See Figures l, 14 and 15.

For the purpose of utilizing the rocking motion of the shaft 89 to disconnect the clutch, the shaft 89 is -provided at its upper end with a crank 96 which is link-connected, as at 91, with a crank 98 secured uponthe shaft 18 hereinbefore referred to and which is Ycrank and link connected as at 80L 8| with the clutch lever B0. The link 91 is slotted, as at 99, at the point of its connection with the crank 98 sor as to permit manual operation of clutch 55 without affecting the overloady disengagement mechanism. SeerFigure 13.

It will be obvious that each time thev Suitably supported on the machine framing is a container body infeed table |00 outfeed table |0| including a downwardly inclined portion |702, and in the space provided therefor intermediate these two aligned feedl ta- .bles |90, and |0| .and herein designated a-closing station |03, there is provided a vertically reciprocable container lifting and l-owering pad generally designated |04. See Figures 3 and 4.

The infeed table |00 includes supporting ways |05 which are recessed to accommodate two laterally spaced block chains |08, onto which the filled containers |01 are fed by a suitable conveying line (not shown), and a single intermediately disposed chain |08 provided with equidistantly spaced filled can driving lugs |09. The supporting ways |05 vare flanked at one side by fixed walls |0 and a yieldably mounted wall l, the latter being opposed at the Vopposite side .of the ways by a timing screw ||2 having trunnion bearing, as at H3, in the screw housing ||4 mounted upon the infeed. table. The timing screw serves a purpose well known in the art, namely, that of intercepting filled containers fed onto the ways |05 and equidistantly spacing them for conveying engagement by the chain lugs |09. See Figures 3 and 4. f

Beyond the screw ||2 there are provided filled container supporting ways |5 which extend to the closing station |03; These ways are flanked at the screw side by a xed wall i6, and at the opposite side by a wall I1, and it will be observed that'these walls are jogged laterally, as at H8, to laterally transfer-the filled cans from a feed line centered between the chains |06 to a slightly-- laterally disposed feed center line centered on the conveyor pins ||9 projecting vertically from one of the flights of an endless conveyor chain.|20,

lsaid pins moving in a clearance |2| provided therefor between the supporting ways H5. The chain |20 travels about sprockets which are rotatab-le about vertical axes and mounted and driven in a manner later to be described.

The screw ||2 is driven through a bevel gear couple |22 by a stub shaft |23 which is rotatable in a bearing |24 provided therefor in the housing I4, and the shaft |23 also carries a spur gear |25 which meshes with and is driven by a long spur gear |26. The spur gear |26 is adjustably secured, as at |21, on a sleeve |28 which is keyed on a shaft |29 rotatable in feed-in table bearings |30, The shaft |29 carries sprockets |3| over which the block chains |06 travel. The chains |06 are engaged by tightening sprockets |32 and pass over sprockets |33 mounted on the shaft |34 which is supported, as at |35, on the feed-in ta- Ible', and one of the chains |98 is extended beyond the other and is looped over a driver sprocket |38 aflixed to a shaft |31 which is rotatably supported, as at |38, on the feed-in table. The shaft |31 also carries a driver sprocket |39 about which one end of the lug-equipped chain |08 travels, the other end of said lug-equipped chain passing over. an adjustably mounted idler sprockand an which is rotatable in a frame bearing |53. The shaft |52 also carries a bevel gear |54 to which rotation is imparted by the bevel gear hereinbef-ore referred to, and thus the filled container feed-in devices are driven in properly timed relation with the vertically disposed main shaft i3 which turns once for each container presentation and closing function. See Figure 12.

The pin chain |29 takes over an idler sprocket mounted on a vertically disposed stub shaft |56 fixed, as at |51, on the feed-.in table, and over a driver sprocket |58 similarly mounted on a vertical shaft |59 which is rotatable in a bearing |60 provided in the feed-in table and which is driven by a bevel gear couple |6| from the shaft |62. The shaft |62 is rotatable in a bearing |63 provided therefor in the feed-out table, and the bevel pinion rotatable with this shaft is secured, as at |64, to a driver sleeve |65 key-secured to said shaft. The shaft |62 also carries a driver sprocket |66. See Figures 8 and 9.

The feed-out table m| 0| |02 is flanked by closed can guiding rails |61 and is provided with a longitudinal slot or way clearance for permitting free movement of the lcan feeding lugs |68 projecting in equidistantly spaced relation from the feed-out chain |69 which takes over idler sprockets |10 and |1|, over an adjustably mounted driver sprocket |12, and over an adjustable tightener sprocket |13. The sprocket |12 is carried by a shaft |14 rotatable in bearings |15 in the feedout table, said shaft also being equipped with a sprocket |16 to which rotation is imparted by a chain |11 which passes over the driver sprocket |66 hereinbefore referred to. See Figures 3, 4, 9 and 10.

The shaft |62 is driven by a bevel gear couple |18 and a spur gear |19, the latter being rotatable about a shaft supported in the housing part 6 and meshing with and being driven by the spur gear 23 hereinbefore referred to as mounted on the main shaft |3 and secured to the pad lifting and lowering cam 24. The spur gear |19 meshes with and imparts rotation to a spur gear |8| secured upon a spline sleeve |82 which is rotatably mounted, as at |83, in the housing' part 6 and through which passes a vertically disposed spline shaft |84 which may constitute a part of the driving mechanism for a cover feed and marker mechanism of any approved type (not shown). It is to be understood that cover feeding mechanisms capable of delivering can end closures one by one onto the open tops of the filled cans presented at the closing station |03 are well known in the art and any approved form may be employed. See Figure 9.

The filled container lifting and lowering pad generally designated |04 includes a head |85 having a depending stem portion |86 which is bifurcated, as at |81, to straddle the pin chain |20 and thereby permit lifting and lowering movement of the pad without interference with said chain. Wear plates |88 are removably secured upon the pad and provide the surfaces upon which the cans directly rest while they are being vacuumized and closed. In order to aid in preventing rotational displacement of the containers while they are being sealed, the upper or container bottom engaging surfaces of these plates are roughened. It will also be observed that the plates |88 are spaced apart laterally so as to permit freedom of movement of the container conveying pin-s ||9 which project vertically from the conveyor chain |20.

In order to additionally hold the containers while they are being vaouumized and sealed and also to assure downward movement of the closed containers with the pad |04 after the vacuumizing and sealing operation, they are provided two jaws which engage the sides of the containers and overlie the bottom .seams thereof, one jaw |89 being a fixed jaw and the other jaw |90 being a movable jaw. The movable jaw |90 is normally held open or spaced from a container engaging position on the pad |04 by a spring equipment |9|. In order to close the jaws against a container positioned on the pad, the movable jaw |90 is engaged at the proper time by a tappet |92 adjustably mounted at the upper end of the jaw actuating arm |93 which is pivoted vintermediate its ends, as at |94, on the head |85. A spring |95 interposed between the lower end of the arm |93 and an abutment |96 carried by the stem portion constantly tends to swing the lower end of the arm outwardly and cause the tappet |92 to force the movable jaw to its container engaging position. A cam |91 fixed on a frame portion |98 engages a roller carried at the lower end of the arm |93 each time the pad is lowered to its normal position and serves to swing the arm inwardly and retract the tappet so that the vspring equipment |9| can act to move the jaw |90 to its open position. Thus each time the pad |04 is lowered to its lled container receiving position the jaws |89 and |90 are separated, and each time the pad is lifted the arm will ride above the effective portion of the cam |91 and the spring |95 can act to effect a clamping of said jaws. See Figures 1 and 2.

The pad structure includes a mounting head |99 at the lower end of the stem portion |86, and this head is recessed, as at 200, to receive a plunger head 20|, said heads being secured together by a bolt equipment 202, a slight clearance being provided at 203 between said heads so as to permit a slight amount of downward yield movement of the head 200 relative to the plunger head 20|. A socket 204 is formed in the stem portion |86 and slidably receives a plunger sleeve 205 threadably mounted on an adjuster screw 206 having an enlargement 201 seated, as at 208, in the plunger head 20|. A screw and slot equipment 209 prevents turning of the sleeve 205 and it will be obvious that by adjustment of the screw 206 the degree of compression stored in the spring 2 I0 mounted in the socket 204 above the sleeve 205 can be varied. The spring 2|0 tends to maintain the yieldably spaced relation of the heads |99 and 20|.

A plunger 2|| depends from the plunger head 20| and carries a roller equipment 2|2 which engages in the pad end lifting and lowering groove 26 of the cam 24. The thrust on the cam 24 directly beneath the plunger 2| is opposed by an anti-friction bearing 2|3 secured, as at 2|4, on the base 5.

The pad lifting and lowering groove 26 and the cam 24 is provided with a holddown dwell portion 2|5 extending about approximately 112 of the circumference of the cam. This groove also includes a first stage lift portion 2 I6 which serves to lift the pad so as to present the can to a can rounding throat to be referred to in detail hereinafter, and a second stage lifting portion 2|1 which follows a 2 dwell and which extends about approximately 26 of the circumference of the cam. The second stage lift serves to lift the pad so as to present the can in position for being vecuumized, and this lift isfollowed by a dwell portion 2|8 which extends about approximately .66 of the circumference of the cam, said dwell vwhich is comparatively slight and extends over `approximately 6 of the circumference ofthe cam, This third stage lift is suiicient to chuck the can following thevacuumizing interval and is followed by a constant, very slight rise lifting portion which extends about approximately 45"'vl of the circumference of the cam. As stated, this lift portion 220 effects only a slight rising of the pad |64, this rise approximating-018 of an inch. The slight Vrise portion 220 is followed by a dwell portion 22| which extends about approximatelyy sition its upper extremity is'spaced below the actuator shoulder 24| a distance sufficient to receive between it and said shoulder a, bifurcated coupler 242 formed onthe end of an arm 243 secured to a rock shaft 244., The rock shaft is rockably mounted at its upper end in a bracket V245 which is secured, as at 246, to the valve slide 236 36 of the circumference of the cam, and this V its normal, lowered position where it is held forI an interval of time by the dwell portion r2 5 hereinbefore referred to. See Figure 2,3;

Directly over the closing station |03, the vacuumizing and seaming head supporting casing 3| is equipped with a cylindrical suspension bear-V ing portion'223 in which a sleeve 224 extending upwardly from the vacuumizing and sealing head 225 is mounted. lThe body 226 of this head is ange-secured, as at221, to the head 225 and provides therein a limited volume vacuumizing and sealing chamber 228. See Figures 1 and 2.

The chamber 228 communicates through a wall portQ 229 which is sealed against atmospheric pressure, as at 230, with a vacuum chamber 23| formed within a portion of the casing 3| and sealed off at the inside by the sleeve 36. This casing portion is also provided with a vacuum chamber 232 which is connected in any approved manner with a vacuum source (not shown) The vacuum chambers 23| and 232 are closed at one side by a valve slide plate 233 which`is equipped with two ports 234 and 235, the former leadin'g from the chamber 232 and the latter leading into the chamber 23|. A D-valve236 is slidable against the plate 233, the recess in said valve constantly communicating with the vacuum chamber 232 and serving Ato connect that chamber with the chamber 23| through the ports 234 and 235 whenever the 'valve is moved to its lowered position. Whenever the Vvalve is thusV lowered, the chamber 23| will be evacuated through the ports 235 and 234 and the vacuum chamber 232. See Figures 1, 2 and 16.

.The valve 236 is vertically slidably supported 'at the lower end of an actuator 231 which is vertically slidable ina slide bearing 238, and said valve is normally urged to the upper limit of its travel by spring equipments 239 so astorbe normally held in its upper position in which the recess in the valve communicates only withthe upper port 234 and the vacuum chamber 232. At its upper end the actuator 231 is equipped with a roller 248 lwhich engages in the valve actuating cam groove 34 hereinbefore referred to. The slide-guided upper portion of the actuator is rectangular in horizontal cross section but the lower portion thereof which extends beneath the slide bearing 238 when the actuator is in its uppermost position is round in horizontal cross sec- Y tion, thereby, providing an abutment or thrust its uppermost poso as to be movable therewith, said valve and slide being slidably guided, as at 241, on the casing 3|. The shaft 244 is also rockably mounted at its lower end in a bearing 248 which is secured to the framing superstructure 8, said lower end being splined in a. sleeve 249 which is rockable in said bearing 248. TheV sleeve carries a crank 25 which is equipped with a spring pressed detent 25| engageable in recesses 252 in the bearing bracket 248, said detentand recess equipment serving to hold the crank in one or the other of vthe two positions between which it is-oscillated.

The crank 250 is link-connected, as at 253, with the container way flanking wall 254 which is pivotally mounted, asfat 255, in position for normally intercepting and beingdeected by the containers as they are individually moved to the closing station |63. The link 253 is provided vwith spaced aoutments 256 between which an end of the resetting arm 251 engages. The arm 251 is pivotaliy supported, asiat 258, on the base of the frame superstructure 8 and includes an extended portion equipped with a roller 259 which is disposed in the path of movement ofthe valve equipment resetting cam 28 rotatable with the main shaft I3 and which has been referred to hereinbefore. f

1t will be obvious that downward movement imparted to the valve actuator 231 will be transmitted to the valve Yonly when the coupler member 242 straddles the rounded lower portion of the actuator and is in abutting relation with the shoulder 24| and the upper extremity of the valve 236. Whenever this coupler is-displaced from this position the actuator moves Yidly without imparting any movement to the valve 236,

and this coupler member 242 will always be displaced from its effective or movement transmitting positionwhen no container is present Von the feedways and in position for engaging and dis'- placing the flanking wall 254. Moreover, each time the wall 254 has been deflected by movement of a container, thereby to couple the valve and bring about movement thereof and a temporary communication between the vacuum chambers 23|l and 232, the cam 28 will act to restore the saidwall and the coupler member 242 t0 their normal positions previously referred to. See Figures 2, 16- and 1'1.

Within the vacuumizing and sealing chamber 228 there is mounted a chuck 26|] which forms a part of the seaming mechanism, said chuck being -stationarily suspended at the bottom of a sleeve 26| which is fixed, as at 262, at its upper end iii the .cover plate 36. Within the sleeve 26| a knockout rod 263 is reciprocably mounted, and this rod carries the usual knockout pad 264 at its lowereiid. At its upper end the rod is extended above `the sleever 26| and is connected, as at 265, with a guide rod 266 Whichis reciprocable in bearings 261 in the casing 3| and cover plate 38 and is trunnion connected, as at 268, with the bifurcated end ofa lever arm 269. See; Figures 1 and 11. The arm 269 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends, as at 21|), and is link-connected at its upper end, as at 21|, to a. slide 212 which is vertically reciprocable in guides 213 provided therefor in the casing 3|, 

